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NMSU professor recognized for agricultural communication, innovation

Standing at the crossroads of agriculture, communication and technology is the head of New Mexico State University's Media Productions who was recently recognized for her efforts in innovation and collaboration.

Gleason trains Iraqi communicator to use new camera. (Courtesy photo)

Jeanne Gleason, an NMSU professor, received the Professional Award from the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE). The award is the association's top career award for professionalism as an agricultural communicator.

Gleason has been on the NMSU faculty more than 35 years and has overseen the development of various advances including learning games and exer-games, the development of applications for smartphones and computer tablets, and the cultivation of working relationships with others across the country and around the world.

"Our administration has always been supportive of Cooperative Extension faculty because they want NMSU to remain on the cutting edge," Gleason said.

Through the years, as Gleason's team has earned a national reputation as groundbreakers and trendsetters in communications technologies. Gleason's team was one of the first among their peers to develop iPhone and iPad apps and they continue to make educational developments via the NMSU Learning Games Lab. Gleason was invited to demonstrate and teach these breakthroughs to other ACE members at their national meetings.

"It's kind of cool that a lot of problems we're addressing, like childhood obesity and failing math test scores, are things you hear about in the news every day," Gleason said. Resources produced by Gleason's team, such as health animations, math games and nature videos available on iTunes, YouTube and at www.mediaproductions.nmsu.edu.

Gleason said she believes in NMSU's land-grant mission of transforming university research into problem-solving solutions to improve lives of people across the nation and around the world. Not only have her efforts had a local impact, but Gleason has collaborated with universities in at least 15 other states. She has also worked in the Middle East, Asia, Central America and the South Pacific to work on various agricultural projects, including helping those in Jordan, Iraq and Afghanistan use video and computer technology to strengthen agriculture, business and family.

Gleason is currently overseeing the design of math and science animations that will help young people stay healthy and master the skills needed to someday become productive leaders in science, business and education. She is also working on a multi-state consortium proposing new ways to improve agriculture and the lives of women in Afghanistan.

For more information about developments in NMSU's Media Productions work in emerging technologies, contact Gleason at jgleason@nmsu.edu.